The Hospitallers, known officially as “Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem,” was founded at Jerusalem during the first Crusade. It has been known also as “Knights of Rhodes”, and as the “Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta.” It was at first a charitable Order, while the Templars was from the first a military one. With the fall of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem in 1291, the Knights retired to the island of Rhodes.

The Teutonic Knights of St. Mary’s Hospital of Jerusalem was one of the three great religious and military orders produced by the Crusades. It was founded during the third Crusade, and was the last one formed. Its hospital was founded by Germans.

The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, or, as it is otherwise called, Knights Templar, was founded in Palestine in the 12th century by the Crusaders. The Order was a purely military one. It was made for the purpose of guarding the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. It order got the latter part of its name, “Temple of Solomon,” from the fact that the King of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, gave a part of his palace known as the “Temple of Solomon” for its use.

Pope Urban II, the man who was ultimately responsible for the launch of the first Crusade was born Odo de Lagery, although some historical accounts list him as Ottho or Otto, in 1042. Odo came from a knightly family, from Chatillon-sur-Marne in the province of Champagne and ruled as Pope from 1088 – 1099.

Throughout the two centuries of the Templars and the five centuries that occupied the Crusades, many would die – Christian, Moslem and Jew alike. Some would die in battle and many others would die innocent victims of a religious, political and economic power struggle that would involve all of Europe and the East.

Although disregarded by historians and seldom mentioned in Chronicles of the Crusades, the legend of the Children’s Crusade is a romantic notion worthy of a glance.

As the story goes, disappointed that the Crusaders were unsuccessful in maintaining the Holy Land, after the Battle of Hattin in 1187, a group of children decided to take up arms in the name of Christendom.

One of the outcomes of the Crusades was the production of many religious relics. Among these alleged instruments of Divinity the more common ones were the bones of Saints and soil from various places referred to in the Bible. Of a more important nature were several heads said to be that of John the Baptist and the Crown of Thorns which was actually sold by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem to King Louis IX of France who built a shrine to house it.